Cletus scurried into the tube to rescue his pet.
An alert came on the Fargo’s comm system. Approaching vessel. Approaching vessel.
Bax raced toward the Fargo’s cockpit as she yelled. “Dump the crate and get your ass moving, Slug! Mr. Dodger, I’ll meet you here same time tomorrow to deliver the rest!”
Cletus yelled back as he hurried toward his own controls. “Agreed! Nice doing business with you!”
Tawn hustled back through the tube, slapping the button that closed the airlock. The robotic dog Farker chased his new friend onto the Fargo.
As the docking tube collapsed into the Fargo’s hull, a voice came over the general comm. “This is the New Earth Destroyer Hemlock. Power down your engines and prepare to be boarded.”
Tawn sat in the copilot’s chair, flipping her display to the defensive console. “Shields are online… crap! We have weapons fire!”
Powerful plasma beams shot past as the Fargo’s engines pushed her toward her one-sixteenth light-speed maximum. Bax piloted the small ship into a nearby asteroid field, their safe-lane for an escape should something go wrong. The jump engine worked to come online.
Tawn said, “Thirty seconds to jump!”
Bax maneuvered the Fargo behind a large asteroid as they continued to speed away.
Tawn zoomed in on the Gulward as it remained in place. “Fool isn’t moving!”
Bax asked her first mate, “What’s a NE destroyer doing out here again? This whole system is supposed to be off limits.”
Tawn replied, “Probably up to no good just like we are. We aren’t exactly being legal here. I’m sure they take violations of the truce seriously. Can’t say I want the outer colonies armed either.”
Tawn glanced down to her left. “What the… that stupid dog followed me over!”
Two more plasma beams slipped past the fleeing craft as a third was targeted at the Gulward. A violent explosion saw the end of Cletus Dodger.
Tawn said, “They mean business… hit that button!”
“One sec.” Bax replied. “We jump now and we pull half those rocks out of their orbit. I’d rather not move around in junked up space if it’s all the same to you, Miss Leg-Humpee.”
“Nice.” Tawn sighed. “Thanks for bringing that up just before we die.”
Bax laughed as her hand hovered over the jump button. “First… we aren’t gonna die. And second… I’m gonna bring that up every chance I get. That’s like the most action you’ve had since you started with me, isn’t it? Hahaha!”
“Why did I know this was going to be a bad day?” Tawn shook her head.
The button was pressed and the Fargo slipped through a wormhole to empty space, two hours’ travel from Domicile.
“Relax.” Bax said. “We just made a big haul.”
“How you figure?”
Bax held up her bracelet and grinned. “The credit transfer cleared, and Mr. Dodger is no longer in need of his merchandise. You will be the recipient of double your expected pay when we sell this cargo. I told you this gig was gonna pay you for last month. Bada-bing, bada-boom.”
Tawn returned an uneasy look. “He must have next of kin or something the cargo would go to.”
Bax laughed. “Right. Next of kin. It’s illegal. This is the real world, Freely. We’re keeping it. And it looks like you just picked up a new pet.”
Tawn scowled as she looked down at the mechanical menace which was now wagging its tail. “We still have to find another buyer.”
Bax grinned. “Already taken care of. I have a buyer waiting in Chicago Port. And he has 5 percent more credits than poor old Cletus back there.”
Bax stared at her still sticky palm. “What is this?”
“What is what?” Tawn asked.
Bax held up her hand. “I touched Cletus’ coat and came back with this.”
Tawn laughed. “Aren’t you the one who said to never touch the clients?”
Bax smirked. “Probably. And here’s hard evidence as to why.”
Tawn powered down the defensive shields. “Who’s this prearranged buyer?”
Bax frowned in disgust as she wiped her palm with an alcohol towelette. “His name’s Harris Gruberg. I call him Goober. He’s one of you… a stump… a Biomarine. He served in the DD as a lifer like you. Got discharged about the same time you did.
“Flies a bucket of bolts that I wouldn’t fly planetside, much less out here. Cletus is… was… a better potential client. Sad he had to go like that. This guy is making deep runs to the newest colonies on Grendig and Farmingdale. Probably uses all his profits just to pay for fuel. You see, that’s why I only take the near runs. Much better margins and I don’t deal directly with colonists.”
Tawn looked out the viewport at the approaching Chicago Port Station. “A DD lifer and a stump. I like him already.”
Bax scowled. “Don’t show him that face, he’ll be humping your leg.”
Tawn shook her head as she made a nasty face at Farker, whose mechanical jowls turned up at each corner offering an unnatural smile. “Humped by a robotic dog. That must make you all giddy inside.”
Bax grinned, “It does. And I’ll be bringing it up every chance I get so long as I still have oxygen in my lungs.”
Chapter 2
_______________________
Chicago Port Station was the main stop before going planetside. All commerce coming to and from Domicile traveled through the station. A population of nearly a hundred thousand residents brought with it the need for shopping, restaurants, sporting venues and parks. The main deck of the station was called the promenade. Harris Gruberg was sitting on a bench along the promenade as Baxter Rumford and Tawnish Freely approached.
Bax put her right foot up on the bench beside Harris, her short shorts exposing her fleshy white leg. “You still want that deal, Goober?”
Harris grinned at the display. “It’s Gruberg… and it depends on what you’re selling this time.”
Bax returned a look of disgust as she pulled her foot back to the floor. “That all you stumps think about?”
Harris leaned forward. “When they genetically engineered us, it included our brains. We were built to be aggressive.”
Bax crossed her arms. “Well get any thought of that out of your genetic… brain. The only deal I have for you is the weapons deal we arranged before… minus one crate of residuals. Price is the same though.”
Harris replied, “Doesn’t seem quite fair. We agreed to terms.”
Bax shrugged. “I have the goods… you want the goods… other traders want the goods. You want them? Or do I go somewhere else?”
Tawn stepped up. “You won’t find better.”
Harris pulled back and held up a hand. “Whoa. Didn’t know you were gonna sick your dog on me.”
Tawn scowled.
Bax laughed at Tawn’s expense. “Look. The deal is available if you want it. I’ll even let you hump my dog’s leg if you agree.”
Tawn returned an almost hurt look. “I’m not your dog.”
Bax turned. “Then don’t stick your nose in my business.”
Harris looked over the hardened DD Biomarine who stood just behind Bax. “I’ll take the deal. You keep the mutt. When do you want to do this? I have buyers waiting that are eager for their merchandise.”
Bax held out her hand with a slip of paper. “We have the goods ready to go. Meet us at these coordinates in six hours. You miss the time and I talk to my friend at the trade commission about pulling your dealer license. And my friend is a good friend if you know what I mean.”
Bax placed her foot back on the bench, exposing her leg and emphasizing her possible pull with the commissioner in question.
Harris Gruberg stood and scowled as he took the paper. “I’ll be there. And just so you know. You do me wrong and I won’t hesitate to put a plasma round right there between your pretty little eyes. And you’ll never see it coming.”
Bax smiled. “We’ll be waiting.”
***
The Fargo docked with the Bangor.
Bax shook her head. “Bangor. Dumb name. Who came up with that?”
Harris replied, “Was on there when I bought it. How about Fargo? You dream that up yourself?”
Bax made an ugly face.
Harris chuckled as he glanced up at Tawn standing behind the blast wall with her hand on her Fox-40. “Brought your dog I see, very trusting.”
Farker bounded up to his new owner, sitting back on his haunches as his stubby tail moved back and forth. Tawn attempted to kick him away.
“And your dog has a dog. Nice.”
Tawn replied, “We know our stumps. And this dog will rip your face off if you try anything.”
Harris looked down, Farker returned his unnatural grin. “That’s just weird.”
Bax said, “You got the credits?”
Harris looked over the containers. “I do. Looks good. Grab that side and let’s get this over with.”
Bax hesitated as she glanced at the time on her bracelet. “You don’t want to inspect the merchandise?”
Harris shook his head. “I’ve already told you the penalty for doing me wrong. And I’d rather not be out in this area longer than necessary. Too many ships have been disappearing. I had a friend who—”
Bax held up her hand. “Save it. Slug… get over here and help the man. Residuals first.”
Harris picked up his half of the plasma rifle container. “Rifles first. I have limited room and need to stack them in order.”
Bax huffed and put a heeled boot on top of the container. “Payment first.”
Harris set his end of the box down and began the transfer of credits into the account of Baxter Rumford. The rifle container was lifted and moved through the tube. Farker followed.
An alert sounded over the Fargo’s comm. Vessel approaching. Vessel approaching.
Bax ran toward the cockpit yelling as Tawn hustled back through. “Will deliver at the same time tomorrow! Be here or forfeit your assets!”
Harris yelled back. “I’ll be here. And what about your dog?”
The airlocks closed and the docking tube retracted. Harris pushed his throttle to full as plasma beams began to be fired in his direction.
A voice came over the general comm. This is the New Earth Destroyer Hemlock. Power down your engines and prepare to be boarded.
Harris shook his head as a wormhole opened in front of his ship. “Not today. The Harris-man has left the building.”
The Bangor sped through to safety and the wormhole closed.
Baxter Rumford and Tawnish Freely escaped through the asteroid field before jumping through a wormhole of their own.
Tawn flipped off the defense shield. “Twice in a row? We need to pick a new spot for the drops.”
Bax brushed it off. “Coincidence. Did you notice the flash of a ship being destroyed?”
Tawn looked over the sensors. “Don’t see one… wait… I have a wormhole. Gruberg jumped through a wormhole. He made it out.”
Bax scowled. “We’ll get him tomorrow.”
Tawn tilted her head in question. “What?”
Bax gave a fake smile. “Nothing. We got paid. You’ll get your cut.”
***
Harris Gruberg sat on his usual bench on the Chicago Port Station promenade with Farker laying beside his feet. Both were ogling the passersby. Tawnish Freely approached, stopping directly in front of him and jacking her foot up to prop on the bench beside him in an attempt to be provocative.
Harris frowned. “Doesn’t really work for you, Bulldog. Slugs and stumps weren’t designed to be attractive.”
Tawn withdrew her foot with a scowl. “Shut your blowhole. I’m here doing you a favor.”
Harris chuckled. “You have my guns?”
Tawn shook her head. “I don’t. And I think my captain is running a scam. That’s three times that NE destroyer has shown up. The last guy wasn’t so lucky.”
Harris shrugged. “It’s free space. Everybody knows they have patrols out there. Goes with the job.”
Tawn replied, “Yeah, look, as a fellow Biomarine, I’m trying to clue you in. Semper Fi you know. I think my boss is setting you up. Good for me as I keep getting paid for the same cargo, but very bad for you. Were you friends with Cletus Dodger? That was his dog.”
Harris nodded. “I’m a competitor of Cletus Dodger. Wouldn’t really call him a friend.”
Tawn shook her head. “You’re not a competitor anymore. That same destroyer turned him into space dust a few days ago. Exact same time as our transaction… and that destroyer just happens to show again? I don’t think so. And we’ve snuck away twice now without taking a hit.
“Any destroyer gunner I’ve ever heard about would not have missed with that many shots from that close. Especially not twice.”
Harris thought for a moment. “You trying to tell me Red works for the NE?”
Tawn looked around before replying, “I can’t say. We had a deal that went similarly bad a couple months ago. A NE destroyer grabbed us. They talked to her for several hours before sending us on. And they didn’t ask me a single question.
“I was just happy to be let go, so I didn’t press her for details, and she didn’t volunteer any. I asked around. Mr. Dodger was the third trader to go missing in six weeks. You wanna keep your atoms together, you might want to steer clear of Baxter Rumford.”
Harris returned a sly smile. “Nice. She sends out her dog to try to scare me away from my pickup. I see the scam. You can tell her I’ll be there today to get my rightful property.”
Tawn scowled. “Idiot. I tried. Guess you’ll get what’s coming to you.”
Harris grinned. “Tell her I’ll be there… and thanks for caring.”
Tawn slowly shook her head as she turned to walk away.
Harris said, “You don’t want your dog?”
Tawn kept walking. “Keep him. He’s yours.”
Harris reached down to scratch the simulated fur head of his new friend as he threw a smile and a wink at a passing lady. The smile was not returned.
***
Later that day, the Bangor was sitting in wait as the Fargo approached. Ten minutes after contact was made, Harris Gruberg was walking through the docking tube with a happy Farker at his heals. The robotic dog began to squeal and vibrate when he saw Tawn, moving to behind the blast wall. The excited behavior was not returned.
Bax stood waiting at her end of the tube. “Glad you were able to slip away. How’d you know to have your wormhole drive up and charged? That’s a mighty expensive thing to keep running.”
Harris replied, “I take precautions when I think they’re necessary. Now let’s get this moved.”
Bax crossed her arms as she stepped back. “Sure you don’t want to check that the merchandise is still there? I could be ripping you off.”
Harris stopped inches from her face. “And I could be tracking you down and plugging your forehead. You gonna help with this or what?”
Bax stepped back. “Our deal was yesterday. I should be charging you for fuel and storage.”
Harris smirked. “Yeah right. And no trader would do business with you again. Slug, grab that box.”
Tawn shook her head. “I’ve been told I’m off the clock. Those are your goods. Move them yourself.”
Harris scowled as he reached down, taking the handles of a container and hoisting up to his waist with a strain on his face. “Thanks, ladies.”
As the fourth container was moved and stowed, a grinning Bax stuck her head in the docking tube. “Enjoy the ride to Farmingdale, Stump.”
Harris yelled back. “I’m sure I will.”
Farker scrambled back across the tube as Bax reached for the airlock button, stating under her breath, “Always check your cargo, dumbass.”
Tawn asked as she returned a concerned look. “What? What’d you just say?”
Bax smiled. “I wished him well. Let’s get back to port. I have to get another deal in the works if we want to be eating
next month.”
The Bangor moved away without incident as Baxter Rumford fired up the wormhole drive of the Fargo. Two hours later the two women were pulling into Bay 22 of Chicago Port Station.
***
Bax and Tawn walked from the bay into the main hallway heading back to port central. A five minute stroll past the warehouse area had them entering the promenade.
Bax turned. “You’re on your own, Slug. Check back in two days, four hours and I should be ready for a new deal.”
Tawn said, “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Bax returned a blank stare.
“Pay?” Tawn added.
“Oh. Fine. Hold up your store.”
A transfer was made.
Tawn looked at her account. “Uh, what about yesterday’s deal? We got paid. Where’s my cut?”
Bax smiled. “Sorry. Didn’t you read the fine print of our contract? It says net thirty, which won’t be for a month. And it also says transfers are made at the convenience of the paymaster. I’m the paymaster. Next month seems more convenient.”
Tawn scowled. “I do have bills, you know.”
Bax turned to walk away. “You have two free days. You’re a strong girl. Go make yourself some money.”
Tawn stood with her fists on her wide hips, staring down the promenade at the tall, slender Baxter Rumford as she sauntered away. She glanced down at her heel expecting to see a gleeful Farker. As much as she despised the mechanical pet, she now somehow felt she missed him.
Spinning on her heels in the other direction, she walked toward the nearest pilot’s hangout… a place where she hoped to pick up extra work.
***
Six hours had passed before Harris Gruberg entered Trader Mike’s Lounge. Tawn Freely was seated in a corner booth with a half empty ale on the table in front of her. Harris sat across from her with an angered expression on his face.
Tawn gestured. “Sure. Have a seat, Stump.”
Harris scowled. “I have a shocker aimed at your gut right now. You’re gonna tell me where your boss is or I’m gonna light you up with more volts than even your bioframe can handle.”
Tawn smirked. “Sure you do. Nobody brings a weapon on the station. Fastest way to get spaced.”
ARMS War for Eden Page 2
